Drive and conveyer chain link



2 Sheets-Sheet 1/ J H GETZ ETAL DRIVE AND CONVEYER CHAIN LINK Flled Aprll 17 1941 Fe b. 10, 1942.

Feb. 10, 1942. J. H. GETZ ETAL 2,272,837

CONVEY INK Patented Feb. 10, 1942 irso STATES 10 Claims.

This invention relates to drive and conveyer chains.

More particularly the invention has to do with drive or conveyer chain links of a novel form made of sheet metal;

An object of the invention is to furnish a chain made up of links that can be made by means of simple dies, and that will be self cleaning during operation besides being readily and easily lubricated.

To the end that the invention may be thoroughly made known the appended drawings are provided wherein:

Figure l is a plan of a portion of a chain made up of links according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a portion of a link shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a hinging pin usable with the links, as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the said hinging pin in transverse section taken on line 4-4, Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan of a link comparable to one of those shown in Figure 1 but much enlarged though having a flanged extension extending i from the inner surfaces of the link extensions as a slight modification;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the link of Figure 5 produced on line 66 of that figure;

Figures 7 and 8 show in perspective parts of a link according to the earlier figures, wherein a formed connection for the two extensions of the said link is illustrated from two different View points;

Figure 9 shows a link of the present invention in an upright position in perspective;

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 11 is a longitudinal section of the link of Figures 9 and 10 produced on line I!H of the last named figure;

Figure 12 is an elevation of the link of Figure 9 upright according to that figure, the same being shown as formed by means of a pair of dies between which it is shown, one of the dies being illustrated in section;

Figure 13 shows a portion of the links of Figure 12 within one of the dies shown in that figure together with a companion die, the whole being viewed upon rotating the parts of said Figure 12 through an arc of 45, and

Figures 14 and 15 show parts of the two dies in perspective to better illustrate their forms.

The links herein illustrated for forming a chain are simple in form, being produced from sheet .i.

metal in such manner that there are no tubular portions necessary to be formed for the reception of hinging pins by which to complicate manufacturing steps. And due to the fact that open channel-bearings are provided for the said hinging pins the links may free themselves of grit and dirt so that more free action of the parts is posslble, and the further fact that thorough lubrication is afforded at all times.

In the drawings each of the links is shown as made of a single part, sheet metal being employed, formed between dies as will appear. The links of the several figures are identical in form and each of U-form. In some of the figures the links comprise the side extensions l ',l' connected by a portion 2 integral therewith, while in Figures 5 and 6 the said extensions are denoted by 3, and the connection portion by 4.

Naturally, the links can be connected to form a chain of uniform width throughout by slightly spreading the free ends of the extensions l, l, or 3, to receive between them the narrow ends at 2 and 4, respectively, of adjacent links as shown. The fre ends of the said extensions of Figure 1 are provided each with a hole I for the hinging-pin I of Figures 3 and 4, this being true of their opposite ends where holes I are shown. One of the holes I may have a communicating notch I Figure 2, to receive a lug I of the head of the hinging-pin l for fixing the pin with respect to the said extension 1, I.

In Figures 5 and 6, the extensions 3 have holes 3' which while extending therethrough, also extend through flanges 3 extending from the inner surfaces of such extensions. In this form the hinging pins 3 are free to turn, the considerable extent of bearing surfaces in said extension adding lon life to the parts. That is to say, whereas in Figure l the hinging-pin is fixed with respect to the extension I with no wear on the latter, in Figure 5 due to the flanges 3 the pin 3 may be permitted to turn.

The integral portions 2 and 4 connecting the extensions I, i and 3, 3, respectively, naturally lie at right angles to the said extensions, and, as best shown in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9, said portion is of channel-form created by means of dies presently to be described, a channel 5 resulting from bending inwardly opposite edges 4 of the metal ribbon of which the link is formed, said edges extending in the direction of the free ends of the extensions, it being observed that a hole 5' in each extension 3 lies in line with the formed channel 5 as is true also as to the holes I of Figme 1 wherein the edges of the metal having the channel is denoted by 2.

In forming the channeled portion it is observed in Figures 6 and 8 that 'a desired somewhat rounded surface is created to receive against it the tooth of the chain operating sprocket wheel 1 of Figure 5.

The dies for forming a link, and the method of operation is shown in Figures 12, 13, 14, and 15 of the drawings.

In Figures 9, 10 and 11, and in the last named figures, the form of link of Figure 1 is chosen to illustrate the steps of procedure, the reference character 4 of Figur 9 corresponding to character 4 of Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8. In the more simple form of Figure l the flanges 3 of Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are not present and therefore set up no obstacles to die operations, the forming of said flanges 3 being a final operation not necessary to describe herein, since the manner of creating such flanges is well known.

In Figur 12 a female die 8, which may be a block of metal, has an opening or socket 9 therein whose walls are of such form as to properly produce the bends in the extensions l, I by the aid of a male die Hi. At the bottom of the socket 9 is erected a block ll having a rounded channel l2 corresponding in form to the outer surface of the channel portion 2 of the link, said block measured in a direction paralleling the channel l2 being less than the measurement of the socket 9 in that direction, and the ends of the block are spaced from the walls opposite to which those ends lie as shown in Figure 15.

The male die is shown most clearly in Figure 14. This has a cavity 13 in its end creating extensions l4 and bridging the cavity-space between said extensions is a rounded portion 15 of a bulk to create the channel in the formed link, the said extensions M adapted to descend into the bottom of the socket 9 between the ends of the block I l and the mentioned walls spaced therefrom.

In Figure 12 the strip of metal to form the link is noted in broken lines a, this strip being placed upon the female die at such a position that the male die in descending will meet the same at the middle length thereof and carry it into the socket 9 while dragging with it the extensions I, i of the link to be formed, the formed link being shown within the female die.

The male die having performed its work is shown partially lifted above the position of its lowermost travel.

In said figures, also, it is noted that the extensions Hi have carried the metal fully upon the female die at the bottom of the socket 9, while the block ll of the latter and the portion I have created the channeled portion of the link.

In practice the described four holes for the link are punched in a separate operation prior to forming said link, and if the flanges 3 of Figures 5 and 6 are desired they are created, finally also as separate operation, or even prior to forming the link.

While the type of sheet stock for link-forming has been described as that of the smooth surface type, or merely having the holes I and l therein, it is possible, of course, to make the links that may include the flanges 3 of Figures 5 and 6.

This type of link can be operated upon by providing the outer wall surface of the male die at each of two opposite sides with a channel l6 as denoted in Figures 12 and 14, the flanges creating and lying within such channels during die operations.

In Figure 5 it is noted that the pin 3 while having a large surface bearing within the flange 3 of the link extensions, also abuts the surface of the channel member as a bearing surface.

In order that said pin may thus abut the channel-surface the portion having the channel may be formed to admit the flanges, it being required merely that the dies be constructed to provide therefor, the slight difference in shape of the portions 2 and 4 of Figures 1 and 5, respectively, being noted.

We claim:

1. A drive and conveyer-chain link having a U-form, the opposite edges of the portion connecting the two extensions thereof being projected toward and into the space between said extensions forming a channel also facing toward said space, the inner wall surfaces of the channel being substantially equally spaced from the middle of the width of the said extensions.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the channel is cylindrically rounded at its bottom transversely of the link.

3. A drive and conveyer one piece chain-link made of sheet material and having the general form of a U, the midportion thereof, or that lying between which the two formed extensions being of rounded channel form said channel lengthwise paralleling the plane of the link lying between the extensions and facing toward the space between the latter, each extension having a hole therethrough in register with the longest axis of the said channel.

4. A drive and conveyor one piece chain-link made of sheet material having the general form of a U, the midportion thereof or that lying between the two extensions having a cylindrically rounded channel lying between the extensions and open toward the space between the latter, each extension having a hole therethrough in register with the position of the channels longest axis, each said extension also having an opening through its end remote from the first named openings and in register with each other on a line paralleling the line of the said first named openings, the pairs of openings thus created adapted to receive therethrough a hinging pin.

5. A chain link including in its construction two portions facing and substantially paralleling each other, and a portion joining the said portions at one of their ends creating a U-shaped member, opposite edges of the joining portion being extended in the direction of the space between the said parallel portions forming an open channel facing said space, the longest axis of the channel paralleling the plane of the link and said channel lying midway of the width of the named parallel portions.

6. A chain link comprising two portions paralleling and facing each other, a portion connecting said two portions at one of their ends, op-

- posite edges of the connecting portion extending toward and into the space between the said two portions creating a channel between said edges, the longest axis of the channel lying midway the thickness of the link and paralleling the plane of said link, there being an opening in each of the two parallel portions whose axes coincide with the said longest axis of said channe 7. The invention according to claim 6 including, further, that the terminals of the first named two portions opposite the connecting portion are spaced from each other a distance substantially equal to the width of the link at said connecting portion measured lengthwise of the latter, and each terminal having an opening therethrough in register with each other.

8. A chain link consisting of a length of flat material having the general form of a U, the fiat spaced faces of the arms thereof facing each other and spaced apart by the connecting portion or yoke portion of the structure, opposite edges of the connecting portion being extended toward and into the space between the arms creating a channel lengthwise in the plane of the link and at right angles to the lengths of the arms, each arm having an opening therethrough for receiving a hinging-pin, the axes of the two openings substantially coinciding with the longest axis of the channel, the channel bottom being flush with those limits of the openings that lie nearest the said connecting portion.

9. A drive and conveyer chain link for a substantially flat ribbon material substantially U- shaped whose widest walls lace each other, opposite edges of the joining portion of the said extensions being extended toward and into the said space and facing each other in spaced relation and lying in planes substantially paralleling the plane of the link creating a channel between them, there being an opening through each extremity of the extensions near the said joining portion, the walls of the openings lying nearest said joining portion lying in line with the channel portion at its channel-bottom, there also being an opening through each extremity distant from the joining portion, the resultant openings lying opposite and in register with each other.

10. The invention according to claim 1 including an opening through each extension opposite the channel-opening, the bore of each opening being of a diameter substantially equal to the distance between the inner wall surfaces of said channel, parts of the walls of the said bores lying substantially in line with all of the inner surfaces of said channel.

JACOB I-I. GETZ. GEORGE J. GE'I'Z. 

